Then: Albermarle County band director Gary Fagan was to premier March 11 a composition he wrote as a memorial to the victims of the April 16, 2007, Virginia Tech shootings.

After the shootings, Fagan spent three months composing the piece, called "We Will Remember" and based on the words written on an impromptu student memorial.

"I knew I needed to write something to mark the day," he said then. "NBC News zoomed in on the cross and the words 'we will remember' were right there. I just knew that was the name."

The song was written for a middle school band skill level.

Fagan wanted the song, meant to honor both victims and first responders, to debut in the New River Valley. He chose the Montgomery County all-county band before realizing that several middle school students who would have performed the piece lost parents in the shootings.

Because of that, Montgomery County school officials told him he could not use the piece. Fagan pulled the selection for the evening concert.

"I'm fine with pulling it because I certainly do not want to do anything to upset any of the kids," he said then.

Now: A local band director asked Fagan to return to the valley in three years or so to direct the piece. By then, each of the students affected should at least be in high school, Fagan said.

After directing the all-county band in other selections, Fagan premiered "We Will Remember" with his seventh grade concert band at J.T. Henley Middle School in Crozet in April. Before performing, he explained to the audience the song's significance.

"A number of parents came up to me after the performance and said how much they appreciated the piece and the fact that it was a memorial to that tragic event," he said.

California-based Alfred Publishing began selling the composition in July. While Fagan won't know the extent of the piece's popularity until he receives royalty checks next summer, he said he's heard positive comments from some band directors who chose to purchase it.

And just because a school purchases the piece doesn't guarantee it will be played.

"If I find out 400 people bought it, then I know it did well. If 50 did, then they don't like it," he said.

Fagan has not written any more memorial selections, but he has penned three new compositions since the spring.